Waiting and Hoping
by Isilarma
Summary: Being the greatest wizards in the realm carries certain responsibilities. Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin have never been ones to shirk their duties. But that doesn't make it any easier for those who are left behind. Part of the Tales of the Founders series.


**Waiting and Hoping**

**This one is set about ten years after Hogwarts has opened, so the Founders are all roughly in their mid-late thirties. I hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to leave a review.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am not affiliated with Bloomsbury or Scholastic Inc.**

Rowena Ravenclaw stood at the entrance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry staring out into the silent night. It was late; the moon had risen hours ago and the students were long asleep, but for her, there could be no rest. Not yet. She drew in a deep shuddering breath. She had lost count of the number of times she had done this, but it never got any easier.

"Anything?"

Rowena shook her head, not in the least surprised to see that she was not the only one awake at such an hour. "Not yet."

Helga Hufflepuff let out a long sigh as she came to stand next to her. Her blue eyes were shadowed with the same concern that lay on Rowena's heart.

"They'll be all right," she said quietly.

Rowena closed her eyes. "I know."

Neither of them believed it. They had the opposite come to pass far too many times for that. But still they waited, and hoped…

Rowena shivered slightly as a breeze rustled the tree tops. Nearly summer it might be, but being as far north as they were, the nights still carried a bitter chill. A moment later, the bite disappeared as Helga cast a silent Warming Charm.

"I asked the house-elves to prepare hot baths for when they return," she murmured.

Rowena nodded. "They will appreciate it." 'Assuming they don't require a trip to the hospital wing first' hung unspoken in the air between them.

Helga shook herself. "They will be all right." But the doubt in her voice was all too easy to hear, and Rowena could hardly blame her for it.

_Salazar staggered forwards, almost falling under Godric's weight. Helga's breath caught in her throat as she saw that his arm was bent at a hideous angle._

"_Salazar," she began, but the wizard shook his head._

"_Help him," he gasped, and Rowena felt her blood freeze as she saw the dark red stain spreading across Godric's side._

_The redhead's eyes flickered open at her words and he forced a weak smile. "Don't worry… not as bad as it looks."_

_Rowena glared at him, fear temporarily replaced by anger. "That is not reassuring." She shook her head, even as she moved to help Helga. "Once, just once, could you come back uninjured?"_

_Salazar leant against the wall as the two witches levitated Godric to a bed and closed his eyes. "It's not exactly our decision to make." _

Rowena forced the image away. They had survived, they had recovered. And they had gone out again. They always went out again.

"Why do they keep doing this?" The question slipped out before she could stop herself and she bit her lip, but there was understanding in Helga's eyes.

"Because they cannot do anything else," she said gently. "And would you want them to?"

It took all her willpower, but Rowena shook her head. Helga touched her arm.

"They know the risks, and they accepted them a long time ago."

"The price they pay for the innocents they save," Rowena whispered. "But why does the price always have to be so high?"

Helga didn't reply. She had often asked herself the same question.

_Helga stood staring down at Salazar's ashen face. Even now, deep in a healing sleep, his entire body trembled with a phantom pain._

"_It was a curse I have never encountered before," said Godric. He was pale with blood loss and exhaustion as he looked across at his unconscious friend. He tried to prop himself up on one elbow, but fell back with a strangled gasp._

_Rowena laid a hand on his arm. "You must rest," she insisted. "You did not escape unscathed yourself."_

_Godric shook his head, jaw clenched against the pain. "He was cursed more than once," he ground out. "God only know what else they did."_

_Helga felt tears prick her eyes as a low moan escaped Salazar's lips. _

"Helga?"

Helga shook her head. "Just remembering." That particular incident still haunted her. They all did to some extent, but knowing that that one had been her fault…

For someone with no talent in Legilimency, Rowena was very good at reading those closest to her. "You were not to blame for that," she said quietly. "He told you himself."

Helga glanced at her. "That does not make it true."

Rowena's eyes glinted in the moonlight. "One man was responsible for those events. One man, and he paid dearly for it. Salazar does not blame you, nor should he, just as he does not blame Godric."

Helga sighed and looked away. "Maybe."

Rowena did not try to argue, but resolved to talk to Salazar when he returned. He hated talking about that incident, but she knew that he would not be able to bear seeing Helga blame herself when she had no reason to. Hopefully, he would be able to make her see reason. Unfortunately, that only returned her attention to their current situation.

"They should have returned by now."

Helga nodded, clearly relieved to be away from their previous subject. "It appears there were complications."

Rowena gave a soft snort. "It seems that there are always complications."

A faint smile touched Helga's face. "Godric would say that it is the complications that make life interesting."

Rowena rolled her eyes. "Godric can be extremely stupid."

_Rowena pinched the bridge of her nose as she looked at the pair of them. Godric's armour was suspiciously soot-blackened, and he was standing in a way that made it quite clear that he had broken ribs. One arm was supporting Salazar, who was shaking so violently that Rowena was amazed he was still standing. Not at all surprising, considering that his side and shoulder were covered in angry burns._

"_What was it this time?"_

_Godric just grinned at her. "We found a dragon!"_

_If looks could kill, both Salazar and Rowena would be guilty of murder._

Helga chuckled at the memory. "Yes, well, they have matured since then."

"Thankfully," Rowena muttered. She cast a quick Tempus spell and frowned. "Where could they be?"

Helga's smile faded. "This should have been a simple venture. Even with complications, they should be back by now."

Rowena sighed. "There is no need to worry just yet. It is hardly uncommon for them to be delayed."

"But it is rarely a good sign."

_Rowena paced up and down the small sitting room, her face a mask of concern. "Six days! They said they would be back in three, four at the latest."_

_Helga sat marking work, but she was equally tense. "Give them until tomorrow. If they still have not returned, I will ask the Baron to look for them."_

_Rowena nodded, but before she could speak, tow loud cracks announced visitors. And since only four people could Apparate within Hogwarts…_

"_Where have you been?" she demanded, but the reprimand died on her lips as Salazar's staff clattered to the floor, and she had to catch his arm to keep him from joining it. Godric was slumped against the wall, his chest heaving as he struggled to breathe. Both looked like they had been through hell._

_Salazar blinked blearily at her. "Apologies… unavoidably detained…" He broke off as deep wracking coughs shook his body. Godric slid to the floor and put his head in his hands. _

Rowena swallowed at that memory. "That will not happen again." They had taken extra precautions after that.

Helga nodded. "I know, but we cannot prepare for everything."

"And those two always seem to find the worst possible situations," Rowena finished with a sigh.

The two witches exchanged weary looks. While they understood and admired their friends' dedication, it was never easy to let them go knowing the condition in which they were likely to return.

Helga shook her head. "They do what they have to do."

Rowena stared out over the dark grounds. "And yet sometimes it still isn't enough."

Helga closed her eyes. That was almost more difficult than when they came back covered in blood.

_Helga sprang to her feet as their friends reappeared._ "_Are the two of you all right? What happened?"_

_Salazar gave a low hiss and disappeared again, but not before Helga saw the tears glittering in his silver eyes. Desperately, she turned to Godric._

"_What happened?"_

_Godric looked far older than his years as he met his gaze. "We were too late." He turned away as thick storm clouds began to form. "There was nothing we could do."_

They were used to dealing with injuries, even life-threatening situations held little fear for them now. But neither of them was very good at coping with failure. Every defeat spurred them on to train harder, become better and stronger, but that only made the guilt harder to bear. It didn't matter that every defeat was further apart, or that the whole world was beginning to fear their names. They could never forget. They never would.

Helga sighed and tried to banish the dark thoughts. "They should be in time; they had plenty of warning." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I just hope they're all right."

Rowena took her hand. "You and me both." She swallowed. "How many more times are we going to have to do this?"

Helga gave a small smile. "I think you know the answer to that."

She did. They both did. As long as their friends were away fighting for those who could not, they would wait and watch and hope. No matter how long it took.

The silence was broken by the soft snaps of incoming Apparition. Rowena's grip tightened. The relatively quiet sounds indicated that they had enough strength to be able to control their arrival, but that did not mean that they had escaped unscathed. She felt a faint tingle as Helga prepared her magic; she was not the only one who feared the worst.

Godric straightened slowly, the slump of his shoulders betraying his weariness. Next to him, Salazar's slight figure leaned heavily on his staff. But there was a smile on Godric's face when he turned to them, and Salazar's eyes sparkled when he looked up, and the resulting relief left her light headed. They were all right. Both of them were all right.

Sometimes they came back hurt. Sometimes they came back defeated. But sometimes, just sometimes, they were all right. And that, Rowena thought, as Salazar greeted them with a dry quip, that made the waiting worthwhile. And she smiled as Godric's rich laughter met her ears, for this was what they hoped for. That, just occasionally, the price would not have to be paid. It was not the end; she knew that there would always be people that needed them and there would be times when things became too tough. But, for tonight, it was over. They were safe. And that was enough.

**Please let me know what you thought.**


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